Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Swimming & Diving Heads to Patriot League Championships at Navy
2/20/2008 7:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Feb. 20, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Beginning this Thursday, Feb. 21, the Bucknell swimming and diving teams will be in action at the Patriot League Championships, which are being held in Annapolis, Md., at Navy's Lejeune Hall. The preliminaries sessions will start at 10:30 a.m. on each day of the three-day meet, while finals sessions are scheduled for 6 p.m. The Bison women, who won four straight titles from 2003 to 2006, will be in search of their fifth championship, while Bucknell's men will look for their second, having captured their first in 2003.
BISON SWIMMING AND DIVING NOTEBOOK
Championship Meet Information
- Official Site
- Live Results
- Tickets: Spectator tickets to the championship will be on sale at the door on the second level of Lejeune Hall, beginning one hour prior to the first event of the day and are also available online by clicking here.
- Parking: Fans and visitors to the Naval Academy must either park their vehicle downtown and walk onto The Yard, or park at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium and ride the free shuttle to the Academy and Lejeune Hall. Parking at the stadium is $5 per car per day. Please enter the parking lot through Gate 5 off of Taylor Avenue. All shuttle bus passengers over the age of 16 must have a government issued photo identification card, such as a driver's license.
Day One Finals
- Women's 500 Free: Three prior PL scorers are slated to compete for the Bison in this event-- senior Kristen Skroski (North Haven, Conn./Hopkins), senior Lauren Butrie (Orefield, Pa./Parland) and senior Katalin Lyons (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central Regional). Skroski holds Bucknell's fastest time in the event this season (5:00.98) and won the "B" final in 2007 in addition to scoring in 2005.
- Men's 500 Free: The Bison have four prior scorers who will see action in the 500 free, including 2007 PL runner-up Luke Trafton (Bath, Maine/Morse) who finished in a school record-setting time. Trafton holds the top time for Bucknell this season (4:36.09), while senior Joseph Metcalf (Knoxville, Tenn./Philips Exeter Academy (N.H.)) a three-time PL scorer in the 500 and 2007 scorers sophomore Ben Leboza (Green Oaks, Ill./Libertyville) and junior Patrick Stummer (Fulton, N.Y./G. Ray Bodley) will look to again contribute points for the Orange and Blue.
- Women's 200 IM: Sophomore Abigail Atkinson (Newtown, Conn./Newtown) holds the squad's fastest 200 IM time of the season (2:11.12) and scored in the event as a freshman in 2007. Also joining her are sophomore Megan Mongan (Malvern, Pa./Villa Maria Academy), Bucknell's top finisher a year ago (eighth) and classmate Lauren Russell (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) who scored in 2007 as well.
- Men's 200 IM: Sophomores Daniel Fletcher (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) and Brett Carey (West Chester, Pa./Malvern Prep) scored in the event as freshman and are expected to compete in the 200 IM again this season, while senior Theo Leriotis (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional Senior High) scored in 2006. Senior Bradford Bennett (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton Area) holds the top Bison time this season, 1:57.77.
- Women's 50 Free: Freshman Molly Goebel (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan) is the top-seeded Bison in the 50 free, with a team season-best time of 24.04. Three prior scorers will join her as sophomore Courtney Warren (Montour Falls, N.Y./Watkins Glen) and junior Kelly Morris (Metuchen, N.J./Metuchen) reached the finals in 2007 and junior Alexandra Lovallo (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield) scored in 2006.
- Men's 50 Free: The Bison will have three-time PL scorer senior Grant Steadman (Richmond, Va./Collegiate) and two-time scorers junior Mark Kawczenski (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Hanover Area) and senior John Peterman (Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor) in action in this event. Kawczenski, who was the top finisher for the Orange and Blue a year ago in sixth, holds the team's best time of the season, 21.19.
- Women's 200 Free Relay: The Bison took third in this event at the 2007 league meet. Two different relay squads have posted Bucknell's fastest time of the season, 1:40.44.
- Men's 200 Free Relay: Bucknell finished fourth in the 200 free relay a year ago. Peterman, Kawczenski, Fletcher and Steadman hold this season's top time, 1:25.84.
- Women's 400 Medley Relay: The Bison posted a runner-up performance in this event in 2007. Warren, Morris, Goebel and junior Susan Horstmann (Havertown, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) have recorded the fastest 400 medley relay time of the season thus far, 3:57.39.
- Men's 400 Medley Relay: Kawczenski, Bennett, freshman Michael Volpe (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) and Peterman hold Bucknell's fastest time of the season in this event (3:28.37), seeding them second in the league.
- Women's Three-Meter Diving: Sophomores Rebecca Bersani (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) and Eliza Massie (Rochester, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland) both reached the finals in this event as freshmen in 2007, taking third and fifth. Bersani is the owner of Bucknell's highest score this season thus far, 248.95.
Day Two Finals
- Women's 400 IM: Freshman Macey Keath (Lebanon, Conn./New Canaan) holds the team's season-best time in this event, 4:36.42. Russell, who won the "B" final as a freshman in 2007 is the top returning finisher for the Bison in the 400 IM, while junior Nikki Seaman (Cleveland, Ohio/Hawken School) scored both in 2006 and 2007.
- Men's 400 IM: Three prior PL scorers will be in action for the Bison in this event. Trafton, who took fifth as a freshman in 2007, leads the way with a team season-best time of 4:07.45. Also slated to compete in the 400 IM are Leriotis, a three-time scorer and senior Matthew McGraw (Penfield, N.Y./Fairport), who reached the finals in 2005 and 2006.
- Women's 100 Fly: Goebel is the top-seeded member of the Orange and Blue in this event with her time of 59.30. Sophomore Sarah Pease (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin Senior High) scored in the 100 Fly as a freshman in 2007 and is expected to compete in the event again this season.
- Men's 100 Fly: Volpe owns the team's fastest 100 fly time of the season at 52.47. Steadman, a two-time PL scorer (2005 and 2007) will be competing in the event as well.
- Women's 200 Free: Skroski has scored in the 200 free at the league meet twice in her career (2005 and 2007) and holds Bucknell's best time of the season, 1:53.23. Joining her in this event will be Mongan, the team's top finisher last season (fifth) and 2006 scorers Horstmann, Butrie and Lyons.
- Men's 200 Free: The Bison have four previous PL scorers slated to compete in the 200 free--Leboza, Fletcher, Peterman and Stummer. Leboza leads the way for the Orange and Blue with a season-best time of 1:43.84 and won the "B" final last season. Peterman is a two-time scorer in this event, reaching the finals in both 2005 and 2007.
- Women's 100 Breast: Morris was Bucknell's top finisher in this event a year ago (fifth) and holds the squad's best time of the season at 1:06.65. Joining her in the 100 breast is Seaman who has scored in this event in her two previous seasons with the Orange and Blue.
- Men's 100 Breast: The Bison are slated to have a pair of three-time scorers compete in the 100 breast, as Bennett and Metcalf have reached the finals in this event every year thus far in their collegiate careers. Bennett is the top seeded Bison with a time of 58.48. Carey, who scored in the event as a freshman last season, will look to once again contribute points as well.
- Women's 100 Back: Warren and Atkinson, who both scored in the 100 back as freshmen in 2007 will look to do so again this year. Warren, who was the runner-up in the event last season, holds the top time by a member of the Orange and Blue, 58.31.
- Men's 100 Back: Kawczenski will attempt to defend his 2007 title in the 100 back as he is seeded first in the league with a time of 51.62. Sophomore David Iselin (Potomac, Md./ Churchill) scored in the event last season as well and is slated to swim the 100 back again this year.
- Women's 200 Medley Relay: Bucknell finished third in the 200 medley relay at the 2007 league meet. Warren, Morris, Goebel and Mongan posted the fastest time in this event on the year for the Bison thus far, 1:48.78.
- Men's 200 Medley Relay: With the winning 200 medley relay squad that set a school record at last year's Patriot League Championships still in tact, the Bison hope to see a title repeat in this event. Kawczenski, Bennett, Steadman and Peterman, who comprised that relay, hold Bucknell's best time this season, 1:35.10.
- Women's 800 Free Relay: The Bison took third in the 800 free relay at the 2007 league meet. This season's team-best time (7:45.80) is held by Goebel, Skroski, Horstmann and Atktinson.
- Men's 800 Free Relay: Last season Bucknell finished third in the 800 free relay. The squad's fastest time of the year was posted by the team of Fletcher, Trafton, Leboza and Metcalf, 7:04.75.
- Men's One-Meter Diving: Junior Jeffrey Manning's (Bringhurst, Ind./Carroll Jr./Sr. High) season-best score of 261.07 leads the Bison in this event. He will be joined on the boards with first-time Patriot League competitors junior Steven Schmaltz (Waverly, Pa./Abington Heights) and freshman Andrew Vogl (New Market, Md./Linganore).
Day Three Finals
- Women's 1,650 Free: Bucknell has two prior Patriot League scorers slated to compete in the 1,650 free. Skroski, the squad's top returning finisher from last season, holds a team season-best time of 17:37.05. Lyons, who missed last season with an injury, scored in the event both her freshman and sophomore years.
- Men's 1,650 Free: The Bison have four individuals with past scoring performances scheduled to swim the 1,650 free, including 2007 league champion Trafton. He holds the squad's top time of this season, 16:00.06, and will be joined by two-time scorers senior Tyler Sowell (Tacoma, Wash./Charles Wright Academy) and Stummer, as well as Leboza who scored as a freshman in 2007.
- Women's 200 Back: Russell is the owner of Bucknell's fastest 200 back time of the season, 2:08.22, and will be joined in this event by 2007 scorers Atkinson, Warren and sophomore Abigail Paules (York, Pa./Baltimore Lutheran).
- Men's 200 Back: Fletcher boasts the best time by a Bison in the 200 back this season, 1:54.34, and will look to join past scorers Iselin (2007), junior Christopher Amato (East Norwich, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) (2006, 2007) and McGraw (2005, 2006, 2007) in adding to Bucknell's point total.
- Women's 100 Free: Goebel holds a team season-best time of 52.82 in the 100 free. All the rest of Bucknell's probable entries have scored in past league meets, Mongan and Horstmann in 2007, Lovallo and Butrie in 2006.
- Men's 100 Free: Peterman, a two-time PL scorer in the 100 free, is the top-seeded Bison with a time of 46.87. Also scheduled to compete in this event are Steadman and Kawczenski, who have scored in the 100 free every season thus far in their collegiate careers.
- Women's 200 Breast: Morris, Bucknell's top returning finisher (fourth) from 2007, holds the squad's best time of the season in the event, 2:24.94. She will be joined by two other returning scorers, Seaman (2006, 2007) and sophomore Caroline Walsh (Watchung, N.J./Kent Place School) (2007).
- Men's 200 Breast: Bennett won the "B" final of the 200 breast last season and boasts Bucknell's top time of 2007-08, 2:08.66. Also slated to swim this event are three-time scorer Metcalf, who placed third last season, and 2007 finalists Carey and Leriotis.
- Women's 200 Fly: Bucknell's lone returning PL scorer in the 200 fly, Pease holds the team's best time of the season in the event, 2:11.22.
- Men's 200 Fly: McGraw, a two-time PL scorer in the 200 fly, is the sole veteran in a young group that is slated to swim this event for the Bison. Volpe, one of three freshmen that are schedule to compete, leads the way for the Orange and Blue with a time of 1:57.25.
- Women's One-Meter Diving: Bersani and Massie both reached the finals in this event as freshmen in 2007, Bersani placing third and Massie fourth. Bersani set a school record on the one-meter board earlier this season with a score of 258.35.
- Men's Three-Meter Diving: Manning scored in this event last season as a sophomore, taking sixth in the finals. He narrowly missed breaking the Bison record in this event earlier this year and ranks second all-time with a score of 298.35.
- Women's 400 Free Relay: The Bison took fourth in this event at the 2007 league meet. The squad of Goebel, Mongan, Skroski and Lovallo has the team's best 400 free relay time of the year, 3:37.04.
- Men's 400 Free Relay: Bucknell placed third in the 400 free relay last season. This year's top time of 3:09.41 is held by the team of Peterman, Steadman, Kawczenski and Trafton.
New Top-10 Marks Set in 2007-08
- Abigail Atkinson: 100 back (8th, 59.20); 200 breast (9th, 2:28.22)
- Rebecca Bersani: one-meter, six optionals (school record, 258.35); three-meter, six optionals (3rd, 248.95); one-meter, six dives (8th, 225.74)
- Allison FitzPatrick: one-meter, six optionals (4th, 236.55); three-meter, six optionals (4th, 241.70); one-meter, six dives (10th, 217.87)
- Molly Goebel: 50 free (5th, 24.04); 100 free (5th, 52.82)
- Macey Keath: 100 breast (7th, 1:07.75); 200 breast (6th, 2:25.43)
- Megan Mongan: 100 fly (9th, 58.99)
- Lauren Russell: 200 back (10th, 2:08.22)
- Kristen Skroski: 200 free (4th, 1:53.23); 500 free (4th, 5:00.98)
- Goebel, Skroski, Horstmann, Atkinson: 800 free relay (7th, 7:45.80)
- Luke Trafton: 200 fly (10th, 1:55.70)
- Jeffrey Manning: one meter, six dives (9th, 245.47); three-meter, six optionals (2nd, 298.35);
- Andrew Vogl: one-meter, six optionals (10th, 176.55)
Honors and Rankings
- Patriot League Preseason Poll - Men: 3rd (74 points); Women: 3rd (77 points)
- Patriot League Female Diver of the Week: Rebecca Bersani (11/21/07)
- Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week: Luke Trafton (1/28/08)
